Machine for cutting compound curves



A ril 6 I926. 1,580,006

.v R. w. BROWN .IACHINE FOR CUTTING COMPOUND CURVES Filed Dec. 29. 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 6 1926. 1,580,006

R- W. BROWN MACHINE FOR CUTTING COMPOUND CURVES Filed Dec. 29, 1922 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 1.5805006 R. w. BROWN April 6 1926.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING comrounn cuiwas Filed Dec. 29, 1-922 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 '0 Q g Q N k J! l l m 0 N 1 51 F4 1 0 N Q 0 I m m M N w o R. w. BROWN April 6 1926.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING COMPOUND CURVES Filed Dec. 29, 1922 '7 Sheets' Sheet 4 April 6,1926. 1 1,580,006

v R. W. BROWN MACHINE FOR CUTTING COMPOUND CURVES Filed Dec 29, 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 A ril 5 1926. 1,580,006

R. W. BROWN MACHINE FOR CUTTIIiG COMPOUND CURVES Fi a Dgc. 29, 1922 7 She ets-Sheet e 111/11,"I",unununlnnr" F April 6 1926. 1,580,006

R. W. BROWN MACHINE FOR CUTTING COMPOUND CURVES Filed Dec. 29, 1922 '7 Sheets-Sheet '2 ivy 12712 61. fair MBRon M Patented A r. 6, 1926.

vantages asw'ill more fnilgfheic.

UNITED STATES RAY w. BROWN, or Los ANeELEsoALIFoRNIA, AssIeNoR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

T0 BARNEY OLIDIEIELD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A-CORPOBATION OF CALI- FORNIA.

MACHINE ronourrrne COM I 0UND CURVES;

Application filed December 29, 1922 Serial No. 609,717.

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, RAY XV. Brion it, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines forCuttin Com iound Curves of which the fol-;

lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of forming curved surfaces.

An object of the present invention isto provide an improved machine having a specially great range of capacity for forming curved surfaces and snore particularly for forming spherical surfaces, compound curved surfaces having curvatures consisting of true arcs and for forming surfaces of irregular curves. Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of simple,

substantial and practical construction to facilitate the ready and accurate forming of curved surfaces by s'implead ustinent of cooperative elements of the machine up to their maximum range of adjustment, and to provide for" the attachment' and resetting and reorganization of the principal elements of the machine so as to utilize templates for use in operations beyond-the lim t of range of adjustment of coordinate elements of the" convex or concave and having true are ate surfaces orcoinpound or irregular curved surfaces I I 'Therefore, considering the general utility of the machine of the present invention in the various arts, it is to be understood that lIl16.\VOl'Cl Work, as herei ter used, will'he understood to referto the object placed in themachine to be operated upon thereby and the production of the de d curved surface regardless of the character and use to which the object itself may be intended. I j p I .h the above mentioned objects, the invention. has various other objects adof which described in the specification Withi'eference to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure l isaplan of an embodiment of the machine showing-it as adapted for cutting a compound-curve, convex surface on a piece of Work. v

Fig.2 is a front end elevation of the machine, an adjusting'handle of .Whichis shown as broken away to illustrate a locking pawl in the rear thereof. Y.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectio-non the irregular line 3+3 of Fig. 2 looking in he direction of the arrow. i

Fig. 4 is adetail, sectional view showing the worm and gear drive connecting the driving shaft of the machine and a countershaft. v I i Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the machine With parts broken away to illustrate-more clearly certain'of the elements and parts in section.

Fig t is a detail, sectional View of the cutting tool box.

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section taken on the irregular line 77, of Fig. l. h Fig. 8 is an end elevation of a portion of the machine and partial section vertically on the plane indicated by line 88 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a plan of the turret and illustrating parts thereof in sectional detail to show the turret lock.

. 'F g lO 1s a detaihsectional View of a universal connecting shaft for operating the turret stud. .1

Fig. 1 1 is a side elevation of the machine showingits reorganization by application ofineans to facilitate concave, curved surface forming. j f j The invention, as shown in its present embodiment and organizations, includes a suitable form of frame having a base 2 along one side of which is formed an upstanding platform 3 which has longitudinally extending dovetail or other pamllel guideways l; the platform'bed or top being provided With an aperture 5, Fig. 7.

At the opposite side of the bed 2 is pro,-

vided an upwardly extending andupwardly tapering coluiini (3 Which formsga housing \vitl 'n which is arranged a motor consisting preiciably of an electric motor M, the shaft convenience and compactness f 11;? and .ni. 15i Wheel with the screw gear or worm ll).

On the shaft 15 there secured a crank arm 16 having a crank pin 17 at its swing;- ing end and to which is connected a link 18 extending upwardly through a slot 19 in the top of the housing 6. The upper end of the link 18 is'mounted on a tixed pivot pin 20 projecting perpendicularly from a rear face oi an arm 21 having a hollow trunnion 22 which is journaled in a box at the head oi the honsir. or column 6, Fig. 7.

The arm 21 extends radially from its trunnion and means are provided for substantially counterbalancing the arm and for eliminating back lash or play and vibration in the operating mechanism just described and which drives the radial arm 21. For such purpose the hollow trunnion 22 is lougitudinally slotted at 2% to receive an outt-urned end 25 ot a spiral spring 26 of suitable strength and which has its inner end attached to a core 27 which is loosely mounted on an axial pin 28 fixed in the hollow trunnion 25. To tension the spring 26 so as to exert a eounterbalancing effect on the radial arm 21, the core 27 is adapted to be retated to the desired degree and then locked. For this purpose the core 27 is provided with a notched flange 27 overlapping a cap 29 fixedly connected to the end of the box 23 in which the hollow trunnion 22 is mount.- ed. hen the winding core 27 has been turned to the desired extent it is locked as by a lock screw 30 to the stationary cap 29. It will be seen, therefore, that the spring 26 serves to substantially counter )alance the radial arm 21 and also to take up back lash or play in the operating connections between the a-ri'n and the worm 10.

The outer face of the radial arm 21 is provided with suitable guides 21 extending longitudnally and upon these guides there is lougittnlinally slidable the base 3i of a tool bearing arm 32. The outer end of the tool arm 32 is provided with a, tool box 33 a chamber of which extends at right angles to the length of the arm 32, or in other words parallel to the length of the rad'al arm 21 along which the base 31 of the tool arm is adjustable so as to position a cutting tool T at any desired point with respect to the axis of oscillation of the radial arm.

The tool box is provided with a closure 34: at one end in which there is arranged an expansion spring 35 engaging the contiguous corner ot a tool holder H which is shown as pivotally mounted on a transverse pivot pin 36 in the box 31. This construction provides for the downward yielding movmnent of the cutting; tool. T as its box 33 is moved uynvardly with and by the oscillating radial arm 2i, as the tool T moves over a piece of work l which, in the present case, shown as mounted upon a work nolding element represented here as a plus" 4-0 having a cylindrical portion internally threaded at llto receive an adjusting screw 42, the front end of which is provided with a manip luindwheel 43. The screw 42 is retained by a collar 44- against axial n'ioveinent, this colar being fixed in a head 4-5 chambered transversely to receive the body of the plugged. The plug body is here shown as being of rectilinear cross section, and upon its top there is positioned a clamp plate 425" i'orced downwardly by a clamp screw -16 provided. in a. removable top plate at? on the head lit will be seen, therefore, that any necessary tine adjui he work il toward and.

.ent oi r from the tool T can be readily had by turning the work screw 42 to advance or retract the work.

In operation it will be seen that while the work V is held in the work holding device, an arcuate cut of true circular form will be made upon the face of the work while the cutter is moving on the downward stroke of the radial arm 21;

The length of the radius of the curve out being made by the tool T is determined according to the distance radially of the cutting edge of the tool from the projected axis of oscillation of the tool driving arm 21 and. to facilitate the accurate adjustment for radius of out, the arm is shown as provided with an embedded or otherwise formed scale 21 with which there is adapted to be registered an index finger 31 carried by the base 31 of the tool arm 32. The arm 32 is adapted to be locked at the desired position as by a clamp screw 32.

The work holder or head 45 is in the form of a cylindrical. section and has its lower end face provided with substantial radial ribs 4L5, and these are designed to mesh with complementary registering keyways in the top of a work post through which projects a clamp screw 51 entering the bottom of work head The work post 50 is provided with a base which is slidable in ways provided in the top of a slide 53 provided with clamp strips 54 engaging the base 52 of the post 50. The slide is adapted for longitudinal adjustment across the top of a turret 55 provided with guides 56 on its top to receive complementary guides formed on the bottom of the slide The slide 53 is provided with a threaded boss 57 through which extends a feed screw 58 turnable in wheel 61.

The turret is rotatably supported on the top of a carriage 62 adapted for adjustment longitudinally along the guideways l on'the top of the platformfi. The carriage 62 is adapted to be locked atany desired position along the guideways 4 asby means ofa clamp screw 63' extending inward'lyyfrom the outer side of the carriage and adapted to engage a contiguous guideway or rail a,

as clearly shownin Fig.- 7

Extending vertically through the aperture 5 in the top of the platform 3 is a substantial stud 65 having a head 66, countersunk in the top of the turret 55; the turret being adapted for free rotation about the stud 65, which latter is provided with a threaded portion 67 to receive lock. nuts 68 adjustable so as to retain the stud '65 against undue vertical play ormoveme'nt in the turret and in the aperture provided in the carriage 62. The stud is adapted to be intermittently rotated during the action of the machine for the purpose ofswinging the work W in an arc, the radius of which v springs from the center of rotation of the turret 55 as determined by its adjustment with the carriage 'tiQiwalong the platform of;

the bed.

' For the purpose of driving the turret 55 by the'normally free stud 65, I provide a clamp device shown as including a clamp rod 70, Fig. 9, the inner end of which engages a clamp shoe 71 which is adapted to be forced against the head "66 of the driving stud 65; the outer end of the clamp rod being threaded at 72 in a contiguous part of the turret 55 and being provided with a simple hand lever 73.

It is desirable to provide for the automatic and intermittent rotation of the turret and itsfd-rivii-ig stud during the operation ofcutti-ng'or working upon a piece of work,

and for this purpose the stud 65 has keyed J on its lower end a worin wheel 75 meshrng with a screw gear or worm 7'6, Fig-8, formed yon or provided on a shaft? to which is' connected a universal joint .78 from which extends a telescopic shaft 7 9 having a universal joint connection with a transversely extending shaft 81, Fig. 3. Upon this shaft there is secured a ratchet wheel 82 engageable to be driven in one direction by a yielding pawl '83which is connected to a lever arm 84: loosely mounted on the shaft 81. The lever 84 is connected by a link 85 'to the lower end of a lever arm 86 having a series of perforations 87 in one or another of which the connecting pin 85 of the link 85 may be adjusted in assembling the a arts. It is desirable to provide a. feed stro e to the lever arm 84, tor instance for each complete cycle cfthe tool drivingxradial arm '55. One means of securing this step by step along the platform of the bed and serves with the center nilark C. :Thetopof the 21 so that at the completion ofc a cutting stroke as by the, tool Ton the WOlliV, the work Will be given a slight inovementin a llOfiZOflt-Ltl are by the rotation of the turret 70 action of the work in aplane at right angles to the plane' of-oscillation of the tool includes the lever arm *86 shown as being soc-ured'on a transverse-rock shaft 88 provided in a bearing 89 on the top of thegear'case 75 13. Secured on the inner end of the rock shaftx88 is a lever arm or crank device 90 having a pin 91. projecting into the path ofrotation and the path of oscillation-of the main crank 16. i s

Therefore, during the operation of the main crank and the link 18 the crank pin 910i the rock shaft 88 will be'en'countered by the crank arm 16 and the crank arm 90 will be oscillated thus oscillating the lever arm 86 and in turn the lever arm 84 with the feed shaft 81 from which motion is transmitted by the telescopic universally connected. shaft 79 and to the worm 76 whereby the turret drivinggear 75 will be rotated ina step by step motion and the. work turned in step by step act-ion onan are in a horizontal plane.

The telescopic shaft 79, it will be seen pro- .vides for the adjustment of'lthe carriage 62 to drive the turret driving gear 75 irrespective of ITS adjustment along the platform. Y From the above it will be seen that thev machinery in the organization, as above described, enables the ready torming of compound. curved surfaces upon the work with theplanes of the curvatures beingat right angles to eachother. The radius of the curve in one direction on the surface being operated upon. by the cutter is nicely determined by the adjustment of the cutter toward or 'from1 its center of oscillation, whilethe curvature of the surface at right angles to the cutter arc is accurately, readily and efficiently produced by the adjustment of c the along the bed with respect to the vertical plane passing along the axis of oscillation of the cutter. J

' To .facilitate this adjustment of the "car- .1115 riage, the platform or bed may be provided .witha center mark C, Fig. 1, and the carriage ls-provided with an index finger or pointer 93 adapted to be moved into register 1 carriageis also provided with a center mark D with which there is adapted to be registered a centering pointer or finger 94 projecting from the slide 53 so that the slide 'can'be registered on the center of the turntable and the turntable registered on the center line mark- G thus brin ing theverti-. cal axis or the turntable and t e work holder into thevertic'alplane orthe horizontal-axis 'ot osciilationof'the cutter. It will be seen CJI swing in an are having a radius of three inches as to the center of the work holder and the tool will be oscillating in a radius of three inches as to its own center and, therefore, if the work is shifted step by step concurrently with the oscillations of the cutter the surface of the work will be made spherical.

It will be seen that by reason of the arrangement of the axis of the worm wheel shaft 15 to one side of the vertical plane of the axis of the trunnion 22 of the oscillating arm 21 that this arm will be given a. slow operative cutting stroke and a quick idle return stroke of the arm and tool.

For the cutting of surfaces having compound curves with arcs at right angles to each other, it is only necessary to adjust the tool T with its holder to the proper setting along the cutter operating arm 21 and then to set the work holder post 50 with the work on the center mark D on the turret with the face of the work at a distance from the axis of'the tool post equal to the length of the radius of the tool stroke. Then for the difference in curvature as to the arcs forming the compound curved surface, the carriage 62 is offset from the center mark C a distance equal to the difierence between the radius of the tool stroke and the distance between the center of the tool post and the face of the work thereon, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. It will be seen that when the machine is in operation for cutting compound curves, the cutter will oscillate on a horizontal axis in an arc concentric to the axis of rotation of the tool driving arm 21 and the work li will swing in a horizontal plane in an arc the radius of which is the distance from the center of the turret to the point of the tool in its working position.

hen it is desired to cut concave surfaces, a form of tool post including a column 50,

Fig. 11, having an extension base 52 is ing a concave cut in the face of the work.

The compound curvature of the surface may be secured by the ad ustment of the turret guides 4 to the desired degree with the result that the work Wlll move in a horizontal plane and describe an are determined according to the setting of the face of the i work as to the center of rotation of the turret.

lVhat is claimed:-

1. In a machine for forming compound curved surfaces, an oscillating tool holder, awork holder, a turret. for swinging the work holder in. an arc in a plane at a right angle to the plane of the path of movement of the tool holder, and means for shifting the turret and the work holder along a path at right angles to the axis of oscillation of the tool holder.

2. A. machine for forming curved surfaces having curves in planes at right angles to each other, including an arm carrying a tool holder, a driving shaft, means connecting the shaft to the arm for oscillating it, and a means acting constantly to take up lost play or back lash of parts between the shaft and the arm.

3. A machine for forming curved surfaces having curves in planes at right angles to each other. including an'arm carrying a tool holder, at driving shaft, means for c0nnecting the shaft and the arm to oscillate the latter, and means acting constantly to take up lost play between the shaft and the arm; said means including a tensioned spring having one end connected to the arm.

4. A machine for forming curved surfaces having curves in planes at right angles to each other, including an arm carrying a tool holder, a driving shaft, means for connecting the shaft and the arm to oscillate the latter, means acting constantly to take up lost play between the arm and the shaft and comprising a tensioned spring, and means for readily varying the tension of the spring.

5. A machine for forming curved surfaces having curves in planes at right angles to each other, including an arm carrying a tool holder, a driving shaft, means for connecting the shaft and the arm to oscillate the latter;- said arm having a hollow trunnion,

and a take-up spring housed in the trunnion and re-actively attached to the arm.

6. A. machine for forming surfaces having curves generated in different planes, includ ing a frame having a bed with guideways, means movable along said guideways and carrying a work holder, a column disposer at one side of the guideways, an arm having a trunnion disposed at a right angle to the guideways and journalled in the column; the arm lying along the guideways, a holder projecting laterally from the arm, and means for oscillating the arm and the holder thereon.

'7. A machine for forming surfaces hav 5 -?11d i s C g 62 along h pla f rming curves generated-in different planes,

cluding a frame having a bed .with guide ways, means movable along said guideways and carrying a work holder, a column dis-i posed at one side of. the guideways, an arm' faces having curvesm planesat right angles having a trunnion disposed ataright-angle to the guideways and .journalled in the column; the arm lying along theguideways, a holder projecting laterally from the arm, and means for oscillating the arm and the holder thereon; said oscillating means being housed in the said column. I I r 4 8. A machine for forming surfaces having curves generated in different planes, including a frame. havinglajbed, a carriage adjustable along the bed, meansfor holding it adjusted, a turret turnable on its axis on the carriage, work holder adjustable across the turret, and means for intermittently stepping the turretaround'.

9. A machine for forming surfaces having curves generated in different planes, including a frame having a bed, a carriage adjustable along the'bed, means for holding it adjusted, a turret turnable on its own axis on the carriage, a work holder adjustable across the turret, and means for intermittently stepping the turret around; said means including a rotative head, and a device for co-operatively combining the head with the turret, or releasing it at will.

10. In a'machine for forming curved surfaces having curves in planesat right angles to each other, an oscillating arm for moving a tool in an are on the center of oscillation of the arm, means for setting a tool at various distances from the said center to deter mine the radius of cut, a work holder for positioning work in the plane of movement. of the tool, and means for swinging-the work in a plane of the axis of oscillation of the tool, said means including a slidable carriage carrying a turnable turret'having a slide on which the work holder is adjustable.

11. In a machine for forming curved surfaces having curves in planes at right angles to each other, an oscillating arm for moving a tool in an are on the center of oscillation of the arm and having a holding means on one side of the center, a work holder on the opposite side of the center for position-.

ing work in the plane of'movement of the tool, and means for swinging the work in a plane of the axis ofoscillation of the tool.

12. In a machine for forming curved surfaces having curvesm planes at right angles to each other, an oscillating arm for moving a tool in an are on the center of oscillation of the arm, means for setting a tool at vari ous distances from the said center to determine the radius of cut, a work holder for positioning work in the plane of movement of the tool, and means for swinging the work in a plane of the axis of oscillation of the tool, said means including a turret on Which the said holder is adjustably;mounted, said turret being adjustable toward and from I plane passing. along the said axis.

13. In a machine for forming curved sur-x f to each other, an oscillating armfor moving a tool nan are on the center'of oscillat on ous distances from the saidcenter to determine the radius of cut,.-a work holder for positioning work 111 the plane of movement of the tool, and means for swinging the work in a plane of theaxis of oscillation of the tool, said means ncluding a; turret on which the said holder is adjustably mounted, said 7 0f the arm, means for settinga tool at vari turret being adjust-able toward and from a ous distances from the said center to determine the radius of cut, a work holder for positioning work in the plane of movement of the tool, turret means for swingingjthe work ina plane of the axis of oscillation of the tool, a mechanism for intermittently actuating the turret, and clamp 'means for connecting and disconnecting the turret to said mechanism. I

15. In a machine for forming curved surfaces having curves in planesat right angles to each other, anoscillatingarm for'moving a tool in an are on the center of. oscillation of the arm, means for setting a toolat various-'dlstances from the said center todetermine the radius of cut, a work holder for positioning work in the plane of movement of thetool, turret means for swinging the work in a plane of the axis of oscillation of the tool, a mechanism for intermittently ac-- tuating the turret, and means for connecting and disconnecting the turret to said mechanism, said mechanism being actuated by means actuating the arm.

16. In a machine for forming curved surfaces having curves in planes at right angles to each other, an oscillating arm for moving a tool in an are on the center of.:oscillation of the arm, means for setting a tool at vari- V ous distances from the said center to determine the radius of cut, a work holder for,

positioning work in the plane of movement of the .tool, turret means for swinging the Work in a plane of theaxis of oscillation of the tool, a mechanism for intermittently actuating the turret, and means for connecting and disconnecting the turret to said mechanism, saidmechanism being actuated in synchronism With said arm.

17. In a machine for forming curved surfaces, a turret carrying a holder, means for sliding the turret bodily, and extensible,

flexible shaft means for intermittently swinging the turret step-by-step on its axis irrespective of its change of position along its guide.

18. In a machine for forming curved surfaces, a bed having at one side a column, guideways along the bed in front of the column, a carriage movable along the Ways parallel to the column, a trunnion journalled in the head of the column transverse to the carriage movement, an arm extending radially of the trunnion and actuating a holder, a holder mounted for movement transversely to the movement of the first named holder, and means for efiecting alternate movements of the holders in planes at right angles to each other.

19. In a machine for forming curved sun faces, a bed having at one side a column, guideways along the bed in front of the column, a carriage movable along the Ways, a trunnion journalled in the head of the column, and transversely as to the guide- Ways, an arm extending radially of the trunnion and oscillatively actuating a rotative holder, a holder mounted for movement transversely to the movement of the first named holder, and means for efifecting alternate angular movement of the holders in planes at right angles to each other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

RAY W. BROWN. 

